Sign-up for Disaster Assistance for Soybean Producers Closes December 9

Memphis, Mo., Nov. 24, 2010 - USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Scotland County Executive Director Gary Kittle reminds producers that signup for the Crop Assistance Program (CAP) ends December 9, 2010. CAP provides up to $550 million in disaster assistance to producers of rice, upland cotton, soybeans and sweet potatoes that suffered losses because of excessive moisture or related conditions in 2009.

"Producers of these crops suffered quality and quantity losses caused by excess moisture in 2009," Kittle said. "This program will help alleviate the impact of those losses."

Payments will be made available to producers of eligible crops that received Secretarial disaster designations due to excessive moisture or related conditions in 2009. A list of eligible disaster counties for CAP is located at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

Producers of eligible crops on farms in disaster counties who certify to a 5 percent or greater crop loss in 2009 due to excessive moisture or related conditions will receive a payment based on a predetermined payment rate times the planted acres of the crop. Per acre payment rates will be prorated by FSA in order to keep payments within available funds for the program. Producers will initially receive 75 percent of their CAP payment and once sign-up is complete, they will receive up to an additional 25 percent. The predetermined, per acre, payment rates for the eligible crops are: Long grain rice - $31.93; Medium or short grain rice - $52.46; Upland Cotton - $17.70; Soybeans - $15.62; Sweet Potatoes - $155.41.

The general eligibility provisions, payment limits and adjusted gross income limits that apply to FSA programs apply to CAP. No person or legal entity (excluding a joint venture or general partnership), may receive directly or indirectly, more than $100,000 in CAP benefits. Additionally, CAP payments will be treated as 2009 revenue under the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program.

For more information about USDA Farm Service Agency disaster assistance programs, visit the Scotland County FSA office or http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.